What to Put in Your Household Kit

You can buy all items for your first aid kits at a well-stocked drug store. Ask the pharmacist for help
in selecting items.

Home kit: A household first aid kit should include these items:

 Adhesive tape
 Anesthetic spray (Bactine) or lotion (Calamine Campho-Phenique) - for itching rashes
and insect bites 4" x 4" sterile gauze pads - for covering and cleaning wounds as a soft eye patch
 2", 3", and 4" Ace bandages - for wrapping sprained or strained joints, for wrapping gauze on
to wounds, for wrapping on splints
 Adhesive bandages (all sizes)
 Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) - oral antihistamine for allergic reactions, itching rashes. Avoid
topical antihistamine creams because they may worsen the rash in some people.
 Exam gloves - for infection protection, and can be made into ice packs if filled with water
and frozen
 Polysporin antibiotic cream - to apply to simple wounds
 Nonadhesive pads (Telfa) - for covering wounds and burns
 Pocket mask for CPR
 Resealable oven bag - as a container for contaminated articles, can become an ice pack
 Safety pins (large and small) - for splinter removal and for securing triangular bandage sling
 Scissors
 Triangular bandage - as a sling, towel, tourniquet
 Tweezers - for splinter or stinger or tick removal
 In case of a medical or trauma related emergency, a list of family member's medical history,
medications, doctors, insurance company, and contact persons should be readily available.

What to Put in Your Travel Kit

Travel kit: A travel first aid kit may contain these items:

 Adhesive tape
 4" x 4" sterile gauze pads
 Antacid - for indigestion
 Antidiarrheal (Imodium, Pepto-Bismol, for example)
 Antihistamine cream
 Antiseptic agent (small bottle liquid soap) - for cleaning wounds and hands
 Aspirin - for mild pain, heart attack
 Adhesive bandages (all sizes)
 Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) - oral antihistamine
 Book on first aid
 Cigarette lighter - to sterilize instruments and to be able to start a fire in the wilderness (to
keep warm and to make smoke to signal for help, for examples)
 Cough medication
 Dental kit - for broken teeth, loss of crown or filling
 Exam gloves
 Small flashlight
 Ibuprofen (Advil is one brand name); another good choice is naprosyn(Aleve is a brand
name)
 Insect repellant
 Knife (small Swiss Army-type)
 Moleskin - to apply to blisters or hot spots
 Nasal spray decongestant - for nasal congestion from colds or allergies
 Nonadhesive wound pads (Telfa)
 Polysporin antibiotic ointment
 Oral decongestant
 Personal medications (enough for the trip duration and perhaps a couple of extra in case of
delays) and items (for example, a cane or knee braces if needed)
 Phone card with at least 60 minutes of time (and not a close expiration date) plus at least 10
quarters for pay phones and a list of important people to reach in an emergency; cell phone with
charger (cell service is not available in may areas, especially remote areas)
 Plastic resealable bags (oven and sandwich)
 Pocket mask for CPR (although now, CPR does not have to be mouth to mouth)
 Safety pins (large and small)
 Scissors
 Sunscreen
 Thermometer
 Tweezers
 A list of yours and other family member's medical history, medications, doctors, insurance
company, and emergency contact persons (this can be accomplished easily with a flash drive; see
for example, www.erinfocard.com

Source: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/first_aid_kits/
Nosebleeds are common. Most often they are a nuisance and not a true medical problem. But they
can be both.

Nosebleed care

 Sit upright and lean forward. By remaining upright, you reduce blood pressure in the veins
of your nose. This discourages further bleeding. Sitting forward will help you avoid swallowing
blood, which can irritate your stomach.
 Pinch your nose. Use your thumb and index finger to pinch your nostrils shut. Breathe
through your mouth. Continue to pinch for five to 10 minutes. Pinching sends pressure to the
bleeding point on the nasal septum and often stops the flow of blood.

 To prevent re-bleeding, don't pick or blow your nose and don't bend down for several hours
after the bleeding episode. During this time remember to keep your head higher than the level of
your heart.

 If re-bleeding occurs, blow out forcefully to clear your nose of blood clots and spray both
sides of your nose with a decongestant nasal spray containing oxymetazoline (Afrin, Mucinex
Moisture Smart, others). Pinch your nose again as described above and call your doctor.

When to seek emergency care

 The bleeding lasts for more than 20 minutes

 The nosebleed follows an accident, a fall or an injury to your head, including a punch in the
face that may have broken your nose

When to contact your doctor

 You experience frequent nosebleeds. You may need a blood vessel cauterized. Cautery is a
technique in which the blood vessel is burned with electric current, silver nitrate or a laser. Your
doctor may pack your nose with special gauze or an inflatable latex balloon to put pressure on the
blood vessel and stop the bleeding.
 You're experiencing nasal bleeding and taking blood thinners, such as aspirin or warfarin
(Coumadin, Jantoven). Your doctor may advise adjusting your medication dosage.

Using supplemental oxygen administered with a nasal tube (cannula) may increase your risk of
nosebleeds. Apply a water-based lubricant to your nostrils and increase the humidity in your home to
help relieve nasal bleeding.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-nosebleeds/basics/art-20056683

Minor burns

For minor burns:

 Cool the burn to help soothe the pain. Hold the burned area under cool (not cold) running
water for 10 to 15 minutes or until the pain eases. Or apply a clean towel dampened with cool tap
water.
 Remove rings or other tight items from the burned area.Try to do this quickly and gently,
before the area swells.

 Don't break small blisters (no bigger than your little fingernail). If blisters break, gently
clean the area with mild soap and water, apply an antibiotic ointment, and cover it with a nonstick
gauze bandage.

 Apply moisturizer or aloe vera lotion or gel, which may provide relief in some cases.

 If needed, take an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB,
others), naproxen sodium (Aleve) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others).

 Consider a tetanus shot. Make sure that your tetanus booster is up to date. Doctors
recommend people get a tetanus shot at least every 10 years.

See your doctor if you develop large blisters. Large blisters are best removed, as they rarely will
remain intact on their own. Also seek medical help if the burn covers a large area of the body or if you
notice signs of infection, such as oozing from the wound and increased pain, redness and swelling.

Major burns

Call 911 or emergency medical help for major burns. Until an emergency unit arrives, take these
actions:

 Protect the burned person from further harm. If you can do so safely, make sure the
person you're helping is not in contact with smoldering materials or exposed to smoke or heat. But
don't remove burned clothing stuck to the skin.
 Check for signs of circulation. Look for breathing, coughing or movement. Begin CPR if
needed.

 Remove jewelry, belts and other restrictive items,especially from around burned areas and
the neck. Burned areas swell rapidly.

 Don't immerse large severe burns in cold water. Doing so could cause a serious loss of
body heat (hypothermia) or a drop in blood pressure and decreased blood flow (shock).

 Elevate the burned area. Raise the wound above heart level, if possible.

 Cover the area of the burn. Use a cool, moist, bandage or a clean cloth.

Is it a minor burn or a major burn?

If it's not clear what level of care is needed, try to judge the extent of tissue damage, based on the
following burn categories:
1st-degree burn

A first-degree burn is the least serious type, involving only the outer layer of skin. It may cause:

 Redness
 Swelling

 Pain

You can usually treat a first-degree burn as a minor burn. If it involves much of the hands, feet, face,
groin, buttocks or a major joint, seek emergency medical attention.

2nd-degree burn

A second-degree burn is more serious. It may cause:

 Red, white or splotchy skin

 Swelling

 Pain

 Blisters

If the second-degree burn is no larger than 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) in diameter, treat it as a minor
burn. If the burned area is larger or covers the hands, feet, face, groin, buttocks or a major joint, treat
it as a major burn and get medical help immediately.

3rd-degree burns

The most serious burns involve all layers of the skin and underlying fat. Muscle and even bone may
be affected. Burned areas may be charred black or white. The person may experience:

 Difficulty breathing
 Carbon monoxide poisoning

 Other toxic effects, if smoke inhalation also occurred

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-burns/basics/art-20056649

Sprain
Your ligaments are tough, elastic-like bands that connect bone to bone and hold your joints in place. A
sprain is an injury to a ligament caused by tearing of the fibers of the ligament. The ligament can have
a partial tear, or it can be completely torn apart.

Of all sprains, ankle and knee sprains occur most often. Sprained ligaments often swell rapidly and
are painful. Generally, the greater the pain and swelling, the more severe the injury is. For most minor
sprains, you probably can start initial injury treatment yourself.

Follow the instructions for R.I.C.E.

1. Rest the injured limb. Your doctor may recommend not putting any weight on the injured area
for 48 hours, so you may need to use crutches. A splint or brace may also be helpful initially.
But don't avoid all activity. Even with an ankle sprain, you can usually still exercise other
muscles to minimize deconditioning. For example, you can use an exercise bicycle with arm
exercise handles, working both your arms and the uninjured leg while resting the injured ankle
on another part of the bike. That way you still get three-limb exercise to keep up your
cardiovascular conditioning.
2. Ice the area. Use a cold pack, a slush bath or a compression sleeve filled with cold water to
help limit swelling after an injury. Try to ice the area as soon as possible after the injury and
continue to ice it for 15 to 20 minutes, four to eight times a day, for the first 48 hours or until
swelling improves. If you use ice, be careful not to use it too long, as this could cause tissue
damage.

3. Compress the area with an elastic wrap or bandage. Compressive wraps or sleeves made
from elastic or neoprene are best.

4. Elevate the injured limb above your heart whenever possible to help prevent or limit
swelling.

As the pain and swelling improve, gently begin using the injured area. You should feel a gradual,
progressive improvement. Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB,
others) and acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), may be helpful to manage pain during the healing
process. It's essential to restore strength and stability to the injured limb prior to a return to sports or
fitness activities. A physical therapist or other sports medicine provider can provide you with the
appropriate strength and stability exercises to optimize healing and minimize the risk of repeat injury.

See your doctor if your sprain isn't improving after two or three days.

Get emergency medical assistance if:

 You're unable to bear weight on the injured leg, the joint feels unstable or numb, or you can't
use the joint. This may mean the ligament was completely torn. On the way to the doctor, apply a
cold pack.
 You develop redness or red streaks that spread out from the injured area. This may mean you
have an infection.
 You have re-injured an area that has been injured a number of times in the past.

 You have a severe sprain. Inadequate or delayed treatment may contribute to long-term joint
instability or chronic pain.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-sprain/basics/art-20056622